


White Seabird

by Multifandom_damnation



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Acceptance, Birdwatching, Childishness, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Past Character Death, Personification, Stuttering, Talking Animals, Vomiting, basically a mollymawk watches over the ship, everyone is friends with a bird, sea shanty, the tense is all fucked up but im too tied to change it, this is a really hard one to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 06:33:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16827091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multifandom_damnation/pseuds/Multifandom_damnation
Summary: The Mighty Nein finds an albatross watching over them as they sail through the seas with Avantika and her crew. In some ways, it's a replacement for the friend they lost along the way and in some, a painful reminder of Mollymauk Tealeaf and the love he spread.But another Mollymawk has since joined their crew, and everyone knows what kind of luck brings the killing of a Mollymawk.





	White Seabird

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, the tags and the summary are shit and the actual story probably is too, but I tried, alright? And as someone who has a phobia of birds, I would like to say that I didn't do too badly, considering I don't know how birds act because I avoid them at all costs. I know some things in the fic are wrong like the window in Caleb's room, but I didn't know what else to do. Also, Orly has a line, and I just want to apologise in advance because I don't know how stuttering works and I didn't want to be insensitive but I tried my best. Also, the bird isn't actually Molly, it's just a line Yasha says. And I added an extra bit of song just to make sure it all tied in.

_Oh the southern ocean is a lonely place_  
_Where the storms are many and the shelter’s scarce_  
_Down upon the southern ocean sailing_  
_Down below Cape Horn_

Beau is seated in the crows nest with one leg tucked up under her chin and her staff lying across her lap when a white bird with wide wings and a black patch under its beak lands on the rigging beside her. When she glares at it, it squarks at her, and lashes out with its beak.  
  
"Are you one of those birds?" She asks it, not expecting any sort of reply. "The one that Fjord is always talking about. An albatross?"  
  
The albatross squarks at her again and Beau feels a twinge of annoyance as it tilts it's head unnaturally at her. "What do you want?" She waved her hand at it. "Go away."  
  
To Beau's frustration, the bird didn't budge, and instead hopped around from rope to rope. "You know," she grumbled as it landed closer to her. "You remind me of a very annoying friend of mine. His name was Mollymauk."  
  
The albatross seemed to bow it's head in recognition as it turned from Beau and made it's way higher up the rigging. "Fuck you, I'm trying to have a conversation." The bird made a mocking sound and Beau narrowed her eyes at it. "Are you sure you're not, like, Mollymauk reincarnated?"  
  
With a wiggle of its tail, the albatross flew higher into the sails of the ship until it disappeared into the wide sky and the glaring sun hid it from view. It then very promptly shit on her arm. Beau couldn't help but laugh.

 _On the restless water and the troublin’ skies_  
_You can see that mollymawk wheel and fly_  
_Down upon the southern ocean sailing_  
_Down below Cape Horn_

Nott is grabbing onto the edge of the ship for dear life when a big white bird lands beside her and tilts its head in question. "What are you looking at? Get the fuck out of here before I eat you, stupid pigeon."  
  
The bird didn't budge and Nott narrowed her eyes suspiciously at it. "Frumpkin...?" The strange bird didn't reply to her like Frumpkin normally would, so Nott reaches out to push it away from her, only for the damn thing to nimbly dodge her weak attempt. "Fucking bird. Can't you see I'm not in the mood to play chase?"  
  
An abrupt rocking of the boat had Nott leaning over the side and throwing up what was left of her lunch into the waves below. The bird let out a long, sympathetic churr. Wiping her mouth with the edge of her shirt, Nott turned to the bird and appraised it with a stern gaze. "Uh, what the actual fuck?" She asked it, and the bird seemed to chuckle at her confusion.   
  
Tentatively, Nott reached a hand outwards and gently ran her fingers through the bird's white feathers, shocked when the bird lowered its head to give her better access to the feathers on its neck. "I didn't think wild thing's liked being touched." She muttered softly and the bird cooed at her. "I guess we're both the exception- wild beasts who don't want to be lonely."  
  
The bird pecked gently at her and Nott waved when the bird flew back into the unknown.

 _Won’t you ride the wind and go, white seabird_  
_Won’t you ride the wind and go, mollymawk_  
_Down upon the southern ocean sailing_  
_Down below Cape Horn_

Fjord is stood on the bow of the ship, his eyes glossing over maps of the sea that he doesn't fully understand when the shadow of a large bird falls across the deck. When he looked up, he gasped at as he watched the waterfowl soar overhead.   
  
The sunlight above reflected off of the ocean to paint the bird's wings a glistening technicolour rainbow. It circled the ship and even from this distance Fjord could tell that it was an albatross, a mollymawk sent to watch over his ship.   
  
It flew around the Squall Eater and the Mistake, sometimes dipping the tips of its wings into the water, and Fjord stared transfixed at its beauty. He knew the bad luck that came from killing a Mollymawk and knew how lucky he was to see one at all.  
  
Spiralling around the ship, some of the crew came above deck to watch the albatross twirl through the air, but none was as awed as Fjord. Even Avantika was shooting him an odd look from the mast.  
  
They had all heard the songs, sure, and the folk's tale superstitions, but Fjord couldn't help but feel like it was symbolic of the friend they had lost.  
  
And bad luck had they wrought- not only did Lorenzo's entire base of operations had team turn to rubble, but the slavers were all brutally murdered and Lorenzo himself was turned to ash. It served him right for killing a sacred Mollymauk.  
  
Fjord watched the albatross circle the ship with a sense of pride brewing in his chest and as it soared into the horizon, Fjord brought his hand up to his forehead and saluted the bird before it was swallowed up by the sun. "Farewell, white seabird. Farewell, old friend. Goodbye Molly."

 _See the mollymawk floatin’ on his wide white wings_  
_And lord, what a lonely song he sings_  
_And he’s got no compass and he’s got no gear_  
_And there’s none can tell you how the mollymawks steer_

Caduceus is joined unexpectedly by a large white bird while he was boiling tea and he bowed his head to it. "Why, hello there friend. Have you come to join me for some tea?"  
  
Plucking a dried berry from his tea set, Caduceus offered it to the albatross and when it plucked the fruit from Caduceus's grip, he spoke to the bird as he spoke to all the plants and animals he spoke to. "What brings you over to our ship?"  
  
_Watching over,_ the bird replied as it swallowed the berry. _Keeping seas safe for long travel._  
  
"Well, thank you very much for your assistance." Caduceus nodded to the bird and the bird shook out its feathers. "We had a friend who was a Mollymauk so thank you for being here in his stead."  
  
_Anything for fair sailors,_ it replied, _you sail fair. You look after the plants and the birds. Thank you._  
  
"Just trying to do my job, my friend." Caduceus sipped at his tea. "Trying to give back to nature a little of what we take. Thank you for keeping our ship safe from dangers. Well, the sea kind of dangers. You can't exactly protect us from the dangers on the ship."  
  
The albatross bowed to Caduceus one last time. _Safe sails to you._ The seabird opened his wings and flew away.

 _He’s the ghost of a sailor-man as I’ve heard say_  
_Who’s body sank, and his soul flew away_  
_And he’s got no haven and he’s got no home_  
_He’s bound evermore for to wheel and roam_

Jester is dancing across the deck of the Mistake when she catches sight of a white bird watching her as her dress twirled in the wind. She flounced up to it and was presently surprised when it didn't fly away. "Hello, little birdy! Are you here to watch me dance?"  
  
The bird squawked in response and Jester giggled, ignoring or not noticing the strange looks she was getting from the crew behind her. It seems to do a little jig on the lip of the ship, hopping from one foot to another and shuffling back and forth. "Silly bird. You know, my friend was silly like you. His name was Molly. He wasn't a bird though, he was a tiefling, like me!"  
  
Ruffling its feathers, the bird sat down on the wooden railing and its legs were hidden from her sight. "Are you going to lay eggs now?" Jester giggled as she put her elbows on the ship and her chin in her hands so she was at eye level with the bird. "What are you doing here, pretty birdy? Are you really, really here to watch me dance? Are you here to help us get away from Avantica and her awful ship? Are you going to fly me away from here?"  
  
It's head tilted towards her and it's feathers puffed up around its neck. Jester didn't know what that meant, but the bird wasn't trying to claw her eyes out, so she took it as a good sign. "I miss my mama, Mr Bird. I miss Molly too."  
  
The bird didn't answer, only rubbed its face against her hand before it flew away and Jester watched it go. Orly came up behind Jester and muttered in her ear. "That there bird is a r...rare one. An albatross. Some call it a M...Mollymawk. We don't see many of them out here. You must be l...lucky."  
  
He waddled off back down the ship but Jester was too busy watching the tiny speck of bird fly into the horizon, either the sunlight or sea spray or unshed tears burning her eyes. "Bye bye Molly."

 _When I gets too weary for to sail no more_  
_Let my bones sink better far away from shore_  
_You can cast me loose and leave me driftin’ free_  
_And I’ll keep that big bird company_

Caleb is in his cabin with his head stuck in another one of his books when he hears the flapping of wings and the landing of taloned feet on his open window. An albatross, a Mollymawk, was staring at Caleb with curious eyes.  
  
"Hello there," Caleb reached a hand out the bird let Caleb stroke it's feathers. "You're an albatross. I've been wondering if I would see you on this voyage. It would have been a shame to come all this way and not catch a glimpse of a fabled Mollymawk."  
  
The bird opened its wings and let out a high pitched sound from its wide open beak. "I have had much luck with Mollymawks." Caleb mused, marking his book and placing it off to the side. "But _they_ haven't exactly had the best of luck."  
  
A wave crashed against the side of the ship and seafoam flooded into the open window, something Caleb was used to by now, and the albatross scurried into the room to avoid the spray. It explored Caleb's belongings and chirped when it came across something interesting. Caleb watched it with mild amusement as it patted around the room until it came to the edge of the bed.  
  
Shaking its tail, the bird took a flying leap into the bed and observed Caleb as he riffled through his packs for any oats or feed. He found some bread crumbs and offered them up to the bird. "I'd invite you to stay, little bird, but we already have a pet in this group and he is hard enough to deal with as it is."  
  
Once the albatross had finished the crumbs in Caleb's palm, it took one last look around the room before it hopped back up to the window and flew away.

 _Won’t you ride the wind and go, white seabird_  
_Won’t you ride the wind and go, mollymawk_  
_Down upon the southern ocean sailing_  
_Down below Cape Horn_

Yasha is standing with one arm holding the rigging and her eyes firmly set on the elegance of the setting sun, loathe to look away from the only chance of beauty she could experience since coming into the wretched ship when a large bird landed on her outstretched arm.   
  
White, long-beaked and dignified, Yasha let it watch the sunset with her. It was a comfortable, and by this point, familiar weight on her arm, and she suspects that the bird is just as comfortable with the silence and the stillness as she is. One of the crew members once commented that the albatross had taken such a liking to Yasha was because she stood so tranquil, she seemed to almost be a statute carved graciously from marble.  
  
The wind blows her hair back and the ruffles the bird's feathers in perfect tandem of rapture and without looking at it, Yasha speaks as if it is an old friend- and by this point, it probably is.  
  
"Hello, Molly."

**Author's Note:**

> The song is sung by the actual writer, Bob Watson, here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI3AwidA_Ak


End file.
